Comments from a Noob about items and shop

[Motanum]

Hello, I got Dota 2 yesterday and I played it today. I already played a Warcraft 3 map, which i am not sure if it was Dota, but it was a MOBA. I then played LoL about a year ago and I was quite good. With a good K/D ratio. I stopped playing LoL 10 months ago to keep my cherry for Valve. I didn't want to put so much time on something just to then leave.

Anyways, I recorded myself the frist time through. From loading the game and with my voice shouting and commenting.

I uploaded the video. I screwed up the order. So it begins at 3:00 and at the end jump in back at the beggining. Or enjoy the flash Foward if you desire to. I added annotations for your convinience!

My biggest complaint as a new player to Dota 2 is the shop interface. It is very, extremely confusing. I clicked on something and it went to a quick buy. I was so confused at first by that (Then I found it quite usefull). I struggled for about 15 minutes not knowing how to buy untill I right clicked. Then it went to the stash. I was soo confused. Then the many shops is very conusing. The amount of items is massive. Then the combinations of items, it was difficultt o navigate through it. While I ask for help from you guys to explain to me. I offer my comments as feeback. I will post the video where you can watch me struggle and lose.

As I see the beta, is not ready for an open beta. Mostly because new players will be very lost. If Valve can include some tutorial videos about items and the shop, it could greatly improve new commers and players making a transition.

While I am at it, I suggest an item browser. So i can check out the items before I play and lern before I jump into the battle.

Now, quick questions.
-Is there a difference between fountain's shop and the secret shop? What is it?
-How do I "hire" a courier to get the items I bought to me? Without the need to run back.
-How do I swap items from equiped to my stash?
-When I click a potion, it allows me to select a player to use with. How do I quickly use it on myself?
-What are these bottles I keep reading?
-What are these runes?

Thanks for listening.

[RedFive]

Heyho Motanum,

I am myself totally new to Dota (getting known to at The International last year's GamesCom in Cologne) na dnever played LoL, HoN oder DotA before. After starting with normal DotA it just blew my mind when I got a beta-key.
And to me the shop is just the best one I know in all my games (and I have quite a lot, that's for sure)
The items are sorted after use (get defense, gain strenght, magic items, etc) what i my opinion is just great, the Quick Buy is a great idea, as I mostly try to focus on one item to completely achieve instead of buying three times half the ingerdients for one item.
I think the item-browser of playdota.com could help you, because the items didn't express great change (at least so far I can remember)

Now I'll try to answer the question (but remeber, I'm also a beginner ):

1. At the Secret Shops you can buy items which are not available at the fountains shop but are necessary to get to the bigger items (for example eaglehorn to complete butterfly)
2. The courier is available at the fountain shop, you have to buy it first and then just use it, after that you can command him (items bought will directly go to the courier if I'm not mistaken here (pls correct if its the case))
3. when you go back to your main base there will be a little gold/yellow-coloured button under the stash that swaps all items to your inventory (at least if there is enough space left)
4. there a setting in the options that when double-clicking on an item you use it on yourself (if possible!)
5. the bottles are used to store healing oder mana-charges (I think 3 charges fit in a bottle) or you can store a rune, so you can use it when it's needed
6. these runes are objects that, when used, affect your character, there are four different types of runes: 1. makes you invisible, 2. gives you two illusions (a dummy of yourself) to irritate enemy heroes (they can't distinguish what is the real hero and what the illusion), 3. gives you "Haste" what means you can run very fast and 4. is "Double Damage"... I think the names makes explanations senseless

I hope I was able to help you, but if there are further questions feel free to ask, I'll try my best to help you

Greetings, RedFive
/ps: sorry for my bad english... It's late, I'm tired... and now i'll go to bed ;D

[gr!mun]

Tutorial is not implemented yet. You should give a try playing DotA1 before playing the DotA2 BETA imo.

Bottle is an item you can buy from fountain. It carries 3 charges and each restores something like 115HP 70mana over 3seconds (dispelable). It allows you to stock runes for a max of 2 minutes. Stocking a rune will effectively resupply your bottle.

Runes spawn in the river every 2 minutes interval. The rune will stay until picked. Only one rune at a time can be available at the river. When used, runes will give you useful power according to its color.

[XxpeddyxX]

-Is there a difference between fountain's shop and the secret shop? What is it?
The secret shop has items that are not available in your base shop, usually expensive too
-How do I "hire" a courier to get the items I bought to me? Without the need to run back.
If your team buys a courier simply select it or use the donkey icon to the bottom right of your screen and buy items with it, otherwise you can buy it from the shop, first page of basics, flying courier is second page of upgrades.
-How do I swap items from equiped to my stash?
I don't think there is a way to do this unless your inventory is full, if that's the case simply drag the item from the inventory to the stashed item and it should swap places.
-When I click a potion, it allows me to select a player to use with. How do I quickly use it on myself?
Double click it, or if you have items on a custom hotkey double tap it (there might be an option that you need to enable first)
-What are these bottles I keep reading?
Bottles can be found at the bottom of the first page in the shop, you start with a full bottle (3 charges) which regenerates health and mana. Bottles can be used to store runes by right clicking on them.
-What are these runes?
Runes are basically power ups that spawn once every 2 minutes at the bottom and top of each river, you should read this for more info. Also have a look at the index on the right, has plenty of useful things.

[Motanum]

I updated my original post with the following

I uploaded the video. I screwed up the order. So it begins at 3:00 and at the end jump in back at the beggining. Or enjoy the flash Foward if you desire to. I added annotations for your convinience!

[NXCL]

If you are still confused about all the items in Dota 2, here's a helpful video that goes through each item. It's one hour long though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R9-qHJGIUvU